The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

08.02.2012 Vitsebsk Regional Court upholds sentence to Heorhi Stankevich

Heorhi Stankevich, the editor of the small-circulation newspaper “Kryvinka” applied to the court with the request to review the administrative case according to which he had been fined by the Beshankovichy District Court.

07.02.2012 Policemen searched car of “Vitsebski Kurjer” newspaper

A journalist of the newspaper Yuliya Kanaplyova was behind the wheel of the car.

01.02.2012 Under-aged Lobau fined for spilling noodles at the entrance of Belarusian State TV and Radio Company

The Maskouski district administrative commission of Minsk considered the case of Uladzislau Lobau, an under-aged activist of the Belarusian National-Bolshevik Party who took part in spilling noodles and scattering leaflets at the entrance of the Belarusian State TV and Radio Company on 3 December 2011. The youngsters did it to express their protest against false information regularly spread by the state media.

31.01.2012 Hrodna: journalist of Radio “Racyja” receives oral warning from KGB

Journalist Hrazhyna Shalkevich came to the Hrodna KGB department on an official summons (which, however, was composed with violations – her status wasn't mentioned in this paper). She was accompanied by a lawyer, but a KGB officer stated she didn't the lawyer's assistance as she was neither a suspect, nor an accused.

30.01.2012 Hrodna journalist summonsed to KGB

The Hrodna journalist Hrazhyna Shalkevich was summonsed to the Hrodna regional KGB department. They wanted to pass her an official summons on Saturday evening, but she was absent from home. At about 2 p.m. on Sunday she was visited by a police officer, who issued her with a summons for 6 p.m. of that day. The journalist wasn’t told why she was to come to the KGB department on a day-off, Sunday.

24.01.2012 Editor of Beshankovichy weekly appeals fine

Heorhi Stankevich, editor-in-chief of Beshankovichy independent newspaper Kryvinka is appealing a 1.4 mln. fine handed down by local court for alleged illegal distribution back on 6 January.

23.01.2012 BAJ Prepared Annual Review “Violations of Journalists’ and Mass Media Rights in Belarus in 2011”

The new online bulletin «Mass media in Belarus» dedicated to violations of journalists’ rights in 2011 is available on BAJ website in the section «Monitoring» in pdf format in Belarusian, Russian and English.

19.01.2012 Arche magazine warned by Information Ministry

The latest issue of the Arche magazine (No. 10, 2011) violated Article 22 of the Mass Media Code, the press-service of the Belarusian Association of Journalists reports, quoting official Mrs. Tatsiana Bondar.

16.01.2012 Vitsebsk road police seize independent newspapers

On 14 January, Vitsebsk road police seized 10,000 copies of the Vitsebsky Kurier independent newspaper featuring an article “Six facts on Ales Bialiatski’s case that BT and Sovetskaya Belorussia fail to cover”.

13.01.2012 Baranavichy: authorities minimize cooperation with “Intex-press”

In the beginning of 2012 the private newspaper “Intex-press” issued in Baranavichy, faced unexpected troubles. In particular, at present only its chief editor, Uladzimir Yanukevich, can attend sittings of the Baranavichy City Executive Committee as an accredited journalist, whereas earlier any journalist of the newspaper could come there.

11.01.2012 Babruisk: Anatol Sanatsenka appeals against unlawful visits of police

Anatol Sanatsenka, chief editor of the “Babruiski Kur’er” newspaper, applied to the procuracy with the request to explain the reasons why police officers paid visits to the houses of local journalists and civil activists.

06.01.2012 Heorhi Stankevich fined 1,4 million rubles

Heorhi Stankevich, editor of the small-circulation newspaper “Kryvinka”, distributed in the Beshankovichy district, was charged with violation of the distribution rules. He was to have been tried for it on 4 January. However, Heorhi didn't manage to come due to an illness.

04.01.2012 Heorhi Stankevich demands that court drops his case

Heorhi Stankevich, editor of the small-circulation newspaper “Kryvinka”, distributed in the Beshankovichy district, is charged with violation of the distribution rules. He was to have been tried for it on 4 January. However, Heorhi didn't manage to come due to an illness.